|Short description=Rebuilding the barputer, with a touch of cloudlyness.

|Short description=Rebuilding the barputer, with a touch of cloudlyness.

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}}

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=Outline=

=Outline=

* Rebuilt the barputer

* Rebuilt the barputer

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=Concept=

=Concept=

Since the barputer lives in a pretty harsh environment, a backup strategy is required. The last one left us at a moment whe didn't expect it to fail, and accounting is an issue for those who pay their drinks monthly. My idea was to put the barputer and related software in a VM (without Apache <= 2.2.19, or even without Apache at all), and access it remotely. I recently starded exploring [http://www.x2go.org x2go]. X2go is somewhat like a RDP alternative for linux, a free/OSS version of NXServer.

Since the barputer lives in a pretty harsh environment, a backup strategy is required. The last one left us at a moment whe didn't expect it to fail, and accounting is an issue for those who pay their drinks monthly. My idea was to put the barputer and related software in a VM (without Apache <= 2.2.19, or even without Apache at all), and access it remotely. I recently starded exploring [http://www.x2go.org x2go]. X2go is somewhat like a RDP alternative for linux, a free/OSS version of NXServer.

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It is currently possible to run a full desktop, or a minimized environment which allows you to run the Cash Register application only.

The advantages of x2go/NX are:

The advantages of x2go/NX are:

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* it has a built in YouTube-Be-Gone, which you can only disable by throwing extra bandwidth at it.

* it has a built in YouTube-Be-Gone, which you can only disable by throwing extra bandwidth at it.

* OS X only has a PowerPC client officially (to bad for you Lion users...), but there's a workaround which doesn't involve downgrading to Snow Leo, or screwing up your system by putting Lion+Snow Leo in a blender and run that on your Mac. It will blend, but getting it to work is another issue.

* OS X only has a PowerPC client officially (to bad for you Lion users...), but there's a workaround which doesn't involve downgrading to Snow Leo, or screwing up your system by putting Lion+Snow Leo in a blender and run that on your Mac. It will blend, but getting it to work is another issue.

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=Important stuff=

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Shutdown routine:

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* First shutdown the tc

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* Second flip the switch on the backside

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Powerup routine:

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* First flip the switch on the back

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* Second press the power button of the tc

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=What has been done?=

=What has been done?=

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=Notes=

=Notes=

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* username/password is the same as the old one. (ask in the space, posting them on the wiki is not a good idea)

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* username/password is <code>cashregister/cashregister</code>.

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* it's a Debian, sudo won't work like it does in Ubuntu. Use <code>su -</code> for now to become root, return to normal privileges with ctrl+d/logout, untill I fix it.

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* it's a Debian, sudo won't work like it does in Ubuntu. Use <code>su -</code> for now to become root, return to normal privileges with ctrl+d/<code>logout</code>, untill I fix it.

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* IP is 10.98.254.144, should be accessible by VPN and inside the network.

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* IP is <code>10.98.254.144</code>, should be accessible by VPN and inside the network.

Apparently everybody calls "something not on this computer" nowadays "something somewhere in the cloud". It's just goin' with the flow, so everybody understands eachother.

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==Why remote?==

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Should be clear by now; moving the Single Point Of Failure to a location which doesn't has the fail rate of the location of the current barputer. We're using the space to cook now (below the barputer), and since we started doing it, the barputer has failed. Moisture from the cooking process doens't have anything to do with it, right? Due to the moisture issues in the space, everything of great importance should be kept out of it.

Contents

Outline

Rebuilt the barputer

Prevent that hardware failure will make El Presidente get no Mate (and you know what happens if he doesn't get his Club-Mate on time)

(attempt to) optimize it.

Concept

Since the barputer lives in a pretty harsh environment, a backup strategy is required. The last one left us at a moment whe didn't expect it to fail, and accounting is an issue for those who pay their drinks monthly. My idea was to put the barputer and related software in a VM (without Apache <= 2.2.19, or even without Apache at all), and access it remotely. I recently starded exploring x2go. X2go is somewhat like a RDP alternative for linux, a free/OSS version of NXServer.

It is currently possible to run a full desktop, or a minimized environment which allows you to run the Cash Register application only.

The advantages of x2go/NX are:

low bandwidth required to use the desktop remotely (important, because network connections tend to get slow sometimes in the space)

(almost) platform independent

The disadvantages are:

it has a built in YouTube-Be-Gone, which you can only disable by throwing extra bandwidth at it.

OS X only has a PowerPC client officially (to bad for you Lion users...), but there's a workaround which doesn't involve downgrading to Snow Leo, or screwing up your system by putting Lion+Snow Leo in a blender and run that on your Mac. It will blend, but getting it to work is another issue.

Important stuff

Shutdown routine:

First shutdown the tc

Second flip the switch on the backside

Powerup routine:

First flip the switch on the back

Second press the power button of the tc

What has been done?

a VM has been donated from Stefan inside the WirelessAntwerp network near Keyserley that street where there used to be big trees near Central Station, but which is transformed into a construction site for the next 42 years.

Debian 6 has been installed and all patches are applied (unless they give out new patches, then you'll need to apply patches again)

x2go has been installed and is in fully working condition

Smuxi has been installed to use as an IRC client, defaulting to #hackerspace-voidwarranties with the nick "barputer-next".

Google Chrome has been installed as the default web browser. Some plugins (read: Flash) can be a pain in the *ss to install under Linux, and Chrome has it built-in. Also, it's a lot easier to handle than Firefox, and it works faster (to me).

What should still be done?

Make it work on the physical barputer

Make Touchscreen input work again.

Install the barputer application (should be a primary objective when (re)creating the barputer, amirite?)

Solve last minute issues, which are currently unknown.

Notes

username/password is cashregister/cashregister.

it's a Debian, sudo won't work like it does in Ubuntu. Use su - for now to become root, return to normal privileges with ctrl+d/logout, untill I fix it.

IP is 10.98.254.144, should be accessible by VPN and inside the network.

Sidenotes

Why cloudlyness?

Apparently everybody calls "something not on this computer" nowadays "something somewhere in the cloud". It's just goin' with the flow, so everybody understands eachother.

Why remote?

Should be clear by now; moving the Single Point Of Failure to a location which doesn't has the fail rate of the location of the current barputer. We're using the space to cook now (below the barputer), and since we started doing it, the barputer has failed. Moisture from the cooking process doens't have anything to do with it, right? Due to the moisture issues in the space, everything of great importance should be kept out of it.